In large enterprises the validation and deployment of computer code is problematic. Many different tools (i.e., applications, software packages and the like) exist; however, such tools are typically limited to one facet of code deployment. For example, specific tools exist for (i) code deployment and/or method of deployment, (ii) code validation and/or platform stability and (iii) code deployment reporting and/or auditing. In general, specific tools are needed to address specific deployment rules and requirements as dictated by different tasks/entities within an enterprise.
Currently specific code deployment/migration tools/applications are limited to deployment on specific platforms (i.e., specific operating systems, specific computing devices, such as specific types of servers or the like) and/or updating or revising specific software applications/packages. From a user perspective, in many instances such specialized deployment/migration tools do afford the user the ability to customize deployment/migration to meet the needs/requirements of a particular entity within an enterprise. From a validation standpoint, each platform and/or software application has its own requirements in terms of which standards must be adhered to. Moreover, in large enterprises that are regulated by both internally and externally (e.g., government regulations), the enterprise must be able track every aspect of the deployment process to insure that standards are complied with and that platforms and/or applications are stable.
In addition, most of the current tools require some level of manual intervention in order to validate, deploy and/or create an auditable code deployment trail. In this regard, it is difficult to centralize the code deployment operation within an enterprise because each of the tools require a specific skill set and/or training, which require users to confer with specific documentation/manuals associated with the individual tools in order to insure that the deployment occurs in compliance with standards and the like. Such highly specialized tool-specific training and tool management requires the enterprise to conduct resource intensive training and create a level of redundancy. Furthermore, when numerous different deployment-related tools/applications are employed, each tool/application can cause instability within a task and/or platform and the manually intensive review/auditing associated with every deployment across multiple tools is inefficient from a time and cost perspective.
Therefore, a need exists to develop a consolidated interface that can add flexibility and customization to the overall code deployment process. The desired systems and the like should provide for management and automation of all phases of code deployment; including, but not limited to, code validation, validation approval, code deployment and data reporting/auditing. As such, the desired systems and the like should be able to automatically validate code regardless of which standards apply to the entities, platforms and/or applications (and application versions/revisions) associated with a given deployment. In addition, the desired systems and the like should provide the user the flexibility to implement whichever code deployment tool and/or reporting/auditing tool that is applicable to a given deployment/migration. Moreover, the desired systems and the like should be capable of being integrated with any new platform, new software applications/packages and/or updates/revisions to applications/software packages without having to modify or reconfigure the existing flexible and customizable system. Additionally, the desired system should be capable of tracking/logging each action/event that occurs throughout the process, so that resulting data provides requisite analysis and audit trials.